Human resources officers, also known as personnel officers, develop policies and administer procedures for staff employment and training.

Their duties can vary depending on the size and type of organisation they work for, but their work usually involves:

• recruiting new staff
• working with other managers to plan future personnel needs
• keeping employee records
• providing staff training and development
• making sure that staff have the right pay and benefits
• counselling staff
• dealing with grievances and disciplinary procedures
• promoting equal opportunities and health and safety
• advising management on matters like pay negotiations, redundancy and employment law
• overseeing employee services like sports and social facilities.

In large organisations, human resources officers may specialise in one or two of these areas. In smaller companies they may deal with all aspects of the job.

Hours and Environment

As a human resources officer, you will usually work 35 to 40 hours a week, normally 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. You may sometimes need to work extra hours at busy times. 

You will be mainly office-based but may sometimes need to travel to meetings, especially if you work in an organisation with more than one site.

Skills and Interests

To be a human resources officer you should:

• enjoy working with people
• be confident, tactful and approachable
• have good spoken and written communication skills
• be fair and objective
• be discreet, as you will have access to personal details
• be well-organised
• work well as part of a team
• be able to deal with difficult situations
• stay calm under pressure
• have good computer skills.

Entry

There are no set entry requirements, although most employers will prefer you to have some GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) or equivalent, particularly in maths and English. Previous office experience is an advantage.

Many human resources officers have a BTEC HNC/HND or a degree in human resource management or a related subject like management or business studies. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements for HNDs and degrees.

If you have a degree in a non-business subject, you may find it useful to take a postgraduate course in human resources management before looking for work.

You could also begin as a personnel administrator, and study for qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) whilst working.

You may find it useful to take the CIPD Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP) before looking for personnel work. This may give you an advantage if you are a career-changer looking for your first human resources job.

Training

You will be trained on the job by your employer. Many employers will also expect you to take qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Some employers may pay towards your study.

You could take one or more of the following support-level CIPD qualifications:

• Level 3 Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP)
• Level 3 Certificate in Recruitment and Selection (CRS)
• Level 3 Certificate in Training Practice (CTP)
• Level 3 Certificate in Employment Relations, Law and Practice (CERLAP).

You can study full- or part-time at local colleges, or by distance learning. You will qualify for Associate membership of the CIPD after passing one of these qualifications.

You could further your career by taking the CIPD Professional Development Scheme (PDS). The PDS is made up of four parts, including leadership and management, and people management and development. You will qualify for Licentiate membership of CIPD after completing one module, and full Graduate membership after passing all four.

If you already have a degree or postgraduate qualification in human resources or a related subject, you may be exempt from parts of the CIPD Professional Development Scheme.

If employed in human resources you can also work towards the following CIPD NVQs/SVQs:

• Level 3 in Personnel Support
• Level 4 in Personnel Management
• Level 5 in Personnel Strategy
• Levels 3, 4 and 5 in Learning and Development, if your job includes a lot of training and development work.

You will qualify for Associate membership of CIPD with NVQ/SVQ level 3, Licentiate membership with level 4, and Graduate membership at level 5.

See the CIPD website for full information on all of their qualifications and the various levels of membership.

Opportunities

Human resources officers work for almost every kind of company that employs people - commerce and industry, service industries and public sector organisations like the NHS, local government and civil service.

There is keen competition for jobs, especially for new entrants. Gaining CIPD qualifications or NVQs/SVQs will help promotion prospects.

Experienced professionals could set up their own consultancies offering recruitment services or advice on policy planning.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Personnel administrators earn around £15,000 to £18,000 a year.
New human resources officers usually earn £18,000 to £25,000 a year.
Personnel managers can earn £25,000 to £40,000 a year.
Senior personnel directors in large organisations can earn up to £50,000 a year.

Further information

151 The Broadway
London
SW19 1JQ
Tel: 020 8612 6200